Few have missed the debate and the result in the western Jamtlandsfjällen. Trails are under discussion, and both mountain stations and mountain huts have had changed conditions. The current set up comes from long time ago, and one of the pioneers from the beginning was Torsten Boberg. Few don’t know when they hike the Jamtland triangle, that they walk in Torsten’s footprints. It was him who was one of the ones building up the network of trails. He was born in Dalarna in 1892, he was a journalist, author and devoted his life to outdoor life and public education around the mountain condition and culture. Torsten was also a genuine entrepreneur and when he in  November1939 open up the Trillevallen hotel it became a success. Through his lectures, he made many friends who then became guests at the mountain hotel. They also became regulars who returned both during the winter and summer seasons. The hosting was personal and revolved around him and his wife Ellen. During the 50s Torsten and Ellens son Ulf took over the business. And it still become the genuine mountain feeling over the hotel. A lot of celebrities’ has visit the hotel during the history, Olof Palme is one of them who really liked the genuine and peaceful environment. Torsten also was interested in the mountain safety, and the trail cross in Sweden says was one of his ideas. He may have exaggerated a little in his stories, but at least he really has done a lot of challenging tours and really lived as a mountain man. He also got his own wolf – Romo.

I Torsten Bobergs spår

Ed Sheeran & Elton John – Merry Christmas [Official Video]

See ya tomorrow…

For many years the advent calendar has been a tradition, so we let the wheel roll this year as well.

Today we open up the first door, and knowledge about mental strength we score…

Let us begin from the start, what is mental strength? It can be described as how effectively someone deals with challenges. pressures and stressors related to events in life. While being mental strong doesn’t mean that you never experience doubt, irritation, frustration or sadness. It is more about your ability of coping skills as emotional resilience, self awerness, and the ability to face change of the circumstances.

When a problem arises, do you immediately jump into problem-solving mode? Wallow in your misfortune? Or let issues roll off your back? The answer to this question reflects your mental strength and resilience.  Hm. sounds out as complex art of skills! So how to work and develop your mental strength then?

First of all we all need a growth mindset, so cultivate that. Having a growth mindset is vital to developing mental strength. A growth mindset is a belief that abilities and intelligence are not innate. Instead, they can be acquired through dedication and hard work.

Develop emotional regulation skills,  emotional regulation refers to our ability to manage and respond to an emotional experience in a socially acceptable and flexible manner. developing emotional regulation skills is crucial for mental strength. Techniques like mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, and journaling can help you manage your emotions effectively, so you can stay calm under pressure and enhance your mental resilience.

Set realistic goals, Setting clear, realistic goals is another crucial strategy for building mental strength. Plans give us a sense of direction and purpose. They motivate us to take action and provide a benchmark for determining whether we’re making progress. However, ensuring that our goals are achievable and aligned with our values and aspirations is essential.

Step out of your comfort zone, Building mental strength often involves stepping out of your comfort zone and facing your fears. By trying new things, you can overcome self-imposed limitations and probably find you’re more adaptable than you think. Whether learning a new skill, taking on a challenging task, or facing a long-standing phobia, every step outside your comfort zone contributes to your mental strength.

Develop mindfulness, here you can use a couple of techniques such as meditation, mindful breathing, gratitude and mindful walking.

Find your flow state, this one in combination with the ”step out of your comfort zone” will be a good way. Do a puzzle, or try something quite new or different. Here you need to get knowing yourself, and from that challenge yourself.

Nu är det jul igen

That all for today, see ya tomorrow

Todays blog will be about motivation and engagement. So to start with, what is the difference of motivation and engagement? Well, they are very similar but engagement can be describe as the sense of purpose, belonging and commitment to a target etc. while the motivation is the willpower to achieve the target or the reason. Ok, so how do I stay motivated you might ask? First of all you need to have a clear target -What do you want to achieve? When that is done we can begin. You must be eager to learn, keep learning. Never stop exploring and develop your knowledge continuously. Motivation is internally, if you think your fila you will and revise. Challenge yourself with a daily goal. Motion creates emotion-make things happen. Remember what motivates you-have a clear target picture you can se or read. Reward yourself when you succeed, and hang around with people that encourage and challenge you.

So now it comes to the more interesting part of this blog, have you read until here – its now it will be the core the essence of todays blog. I think it is important that we as human develop our self all the time. I really want to become a better human tomorrow then I am today. This does not by default mean that you should be stronger, what a better person is is up to you. But push the limits, take your feedback or criticism as a favor. This will become the best way of develop. The morning session will become crucial. I said it before -never underestimate a person that get up 5 a clock in the morning and workout and take a cold shower after. This is self discipline. Turn obstacle’s into opportunities. What is your fears, your deficient? Challenge them and become a better you. Bring your skills into your consciousness, in the same way as you know your shortens you know your strength. This will be crucial to achieve your goals. Step by step build yourself to become a better version of yourself. The mantra will be: -I will be a better version of myself tomorrow…

Push It To The Limit – Scarface (ORL Remix) ”Motivational”

See ya soon…

This weekend I spend in Undersaker, Jamtland and training three new instructor. So discussion about pedagogic and how the learning can be provided in the best way. Also discussion about the best way of being impartial. We also have cleared out the all responsibility and the program for the upcoming course of IML’s. So now the process of setting up all frames and start to launch the course date and requirements public in all channels. So here we go….

(Three more instructors here to come…)

This week I also been testing the Bergans Fjorda Trekking hybrid pant. A pant with a shell of Cordura and inner lining with Merino Wool, it is a real nice pant. Overall it is a classic pant, but what I like is the big leg pocket where you can have a big map or note book…So due to a ordinary pant with some small details I will rate it to a NNNN.

See ya soon

The last weekend was spend in Skopje in North Macedonia, for the annual meeting with the UIMLA organization. The first day started with workshops regarding; number of membership in UIMLA. How UIMLA can give more value for the IML’s and members. There where also a track about sustainability. This event was held at the office of IML’s of North Macedonian association. The evening was spend in the tremendous city of Skopje, with a beer in the “old town”.

The next morning was a day of focus for the new standard for IML. This has been under development for two years. There where also discussion about the new CPD (continuously professional development) requirements. The evening was spend at our hotel for “culture” evening. Here every delegation had to bring something to drink and/or something to eat from each country. The most interesting thing to taste was the fermented horse milk from Kazakhstan. This I felt I really must try, so yea it was done. The day after I felt some strange feeling in my stomach. And when we met the delegate from Kazakhstan he asked if we have tried it. We said yes, and he looked at us and aske -and you feel fine?:-) I wonder how they felt who took a whole glass…(I was just zipping)

The third day was the day for the annual meeting. There was a bit frustration about how all delegates was going to vote for the new standard. But first Nepal and Bolivia was up to discussion for membership. The voting went good and both become full members of the UIMLA. After short presentation of the economics and other stuff, it was time for the big vote. The result was a fully yes from all delegates to accept the new standard. This was very good for Sweden, due to now the Swedish IML’s can provide Nordic(cross-country skiing).

The evening was spend in a local restaurant in Skopje, and a performance from a local dance and music group. The delegate from Nepal was very familiar with them and almost become a part of the gang.

The upcoming week I will test the Bergans Fjorda trekking hybrid pants.

Yelawolf – You and Me (”Mayans M.C.” TV Series)

See ya soon

Denna vecka blir bloggen på svenska….

I tisdag tog vi bort vår älskade Kenai, en nästan nio år gammal Sibirien Husky. Han har varit med mig hela tiden överallt. Min bästa kompis i alla väder. Varenda cell, varenda fiber av mig skriker av sorg. Världen har tappat mycket av sin färg. Jag saknar allt med honom…men mest hans glada svans, och morrande skall när jag kom hem. Hans andetag när han somnade bredvid mig på kvällarna, han tog ett djup andetag så var han var helt avslappnad, och somnade. Om jag stack ut och sprang, så följde han mig avundsjukt med blicken och undrade varför han inte fick följa med…

Sorgen och saknaden är enorm, magen känns full som av krossat glas och hjärtat har brustit itu. Jag saknar min bästis så ofantligt mycket.

Moby – Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?

See ya

Bergman do you sleep? This question has probably been asked many times in both tent and cabins, and the answer is of course yes😊

The sleep is always important also when your out in the outdoor environment, here you will learn why. First of all sleep serves a various of important physical and psychological functions, including: learning and memory consolidation, emotional consolidation, judgement and decision making, problem solving, energy conservation, growth and healing and strengthening the immunity.

How does sleep work? The sleep can be divided into four phases; N1,N2,N3 and N4. The N1 stage is short and last from 1 to 5 minutes, this is the lightest stage of sleep. The next phase si the N2, while brain activity slows, there are bursts of activity that may help with memory retention and learning. This stage last from 10 minutes but can be as long as one hour. The third stage N3 also known as “deep sleep”. This stage has a pattern known as “delta waves”, this stage is critical for restoring your body and mind. This delta waves processing your experience and memories from the day. The body releases growth hormone to repair muscle tissue, regrow bone cells and strengthen the immune system. Next step is the N4 and now you enter the stage known as “rapid eye movement” stage. The brain is almost as active as when you are awake. The REM sleep contributes to insight thinking, creativity and memory. This is the stage where you have the most vivid dreams. The dreams serve as a “mental housekeeping” to clean up partial or unnecessary information. During your sleep you go trough this cycle five to six times during a night. This is your sleep architecture, so sleep is a complex process for preparing you for the next day ahead.

Hm. So what does this mean if we don’t get enough of sleep then?

Every hour of sleep is like money on the bank. Lack of sleep contribute to a lot of disfunctions. It will impact the whole body from the immune system to the neuro cognitive system. We will see it directly when it comes to our brain and how we interact with the world. Just a night of bad sleep will affect our memory and attention, and it can even cause false memory. Also the rection time will be affected, which has been measured. Such as making decisions for example. We also get more irritable, and this also lead to that we decrease our ability to read others emotions.

Lack of sleep will also suppress your immune system, increasing your susceptibility to sickness and infection. Increase your risk of developing heart problems, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. Interfere with your metabolism and elevate your risk for obesity.

Well, so what can we do to secure a better sleep then? First of all, we are habit creatures. This meaning stick to a sleeping schedule. Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle. Regular physical activity can promote better sleep. However, avoid being active too close to bedtime. Secure you got daylight, get outside at least 30min each day. Wake up and fall asleep at the same time…Keep the bedroom cold 18 C degrees is perfect. Yes, and just one thing more, drink a glass of water with little salt in. This will bind the water so don’t need to wake up. So good night😊

Chayce Beckham – 23 (Official Music Video)

See ya soon…

One of the topics I blogged about before is depopulated mountain cabins, and today I will mention some more of them in this topic. Some of them you will find on the Nordkalott trail. One of them the Sårjåjavrre, I’ve mention before and today I will start with the Vaimok cabin. Placed at one of Sweden’s mostly clear lakes, with a visibility of 17m the Vaimok lake. At all it got 26 beds. In the winter is easier to get here, but you still need good navigation skills. At the lake you can fish mountain char, and in the spring winter you will for sure have company with other fishers…

Another one is the Hukejaure cabin. This is a 65 cabin, which means it got two sleeping coals with ten beads in each. At this place there is no mobile coverage. The fishing in the lake is tremendous with…mountain char of course.

The third cabin will be the pältsa cabin. This cabin got 26 beds and also a sauna. The old cabin (which is still there) was build in 1941. The cabin was used under WW2 as a base for the resistance.

So if you want to spend a hike in the northern part of Sweden and want to be alone, this place is recommended..

Shinedown – Simple Man (Official Video) – YouTube

See ya soon…

A couple of times I’ve been going to the wind shelter at Snasahogarna in November-December. During this period it is quite still and silent in the mountains. Long gone is the herds of tourists and hikers, and even the animals has prepared for the upcoming Winter period. The feeling is that being total alone. What is interesting is that in a sudden the life follows the nature. Early in bed, and late up in the morning. But you eat when you are hungry and sleep when you are tired. No time get hold onto you. You are in the present, and one with the nature and yourself. Just going with the day. This is how it feels with the origin of life. It is to seldom…

I’ve been blogging about tent before, and  here some more details of the topic. Today there are two different basic types of tent in the market; Dome and Tunnel tent. So first of all you must ask yourself -For what will you use the tent. This not from the perspective of what you will be doing, but rather more from a where-when-and how you will use it. The more demanding and varied use you subject your tent to, the higher safety, ease of handling and versatility you need. Strength, weight and safety will be important areas in choosing. So will you have a basecamp for ski tours, or are you going for a  long tour in Sarek? This will for example make two different kind of choice of tent. Be aware of not choosing light weight by default, because this will end up in less safety, strength and comfort…If you out at the adventure by your own or together with others will also affect your choice of tent. A good thing is to go up one size, for getting more space (it’s not much more weight). The tunnel variant will weight less, and will be easier to set up. But you must be aware of how the wind blows, for this type is more wind sensitive. It will have more space for cooking and store stuff. The dome variant will be more comfortable with often a higher construction, and more stable and less independent of the wind.

Good tips while tenting:

In most of the tents there is space in the slots for poles for an extra ones…Which means you can improve the stability easy. So if you bought a three season tent and are going out for a winter tour, this can be a way to improve the tents stability. Always bring the repair kit for the tent, and an extra safety pin (sv. säkerhets nål) for being able to use a broken zipper. Condensation will always be a problem; keep wet gear outside of the inner tent. The condensation comes from the difference of heat between the inside and outside of the tent. So use the ventilation solutions to bring less moisture. A Wettex cloth in the storage bag I good for removing the worst of the moister before you pack down the tent. If you have place for it it can be a advantage to have an extra “floor” under the tent for reducing condensation from the ground cold. I also put a carabiner in the end of the tent so I easy now which side I will set up first. I also can attach the tent so myself so it wont go away with the wind.

DT James & Kimbo – Voices (Lyrics) (youtube.com)

See ya soon…

As a instructor and examiner and with my network I spend a lot of time with different kinds of guides. First of all, it is interesting why people become guide. But it seems as one of the main driver is to show people the fantastic environment in the mountains. I realize also that is often also is for knowledge and skills. So in a environment where all almost put them self in the first room, the guides want to give you a experience. From my point of view (and I said this before) you can get a lot of value of your tour by using a guide, if just for a day or so. But at the same time it is important to be selective when choosing your guide. The reason for that, is that all guides that I meet, all of them got different skills and experience. One will be a good chef, another is expert at flowers and the third knows the history of the area in detail. In the ground all are good in guiding but got there own ”flavor” on the guiding…So rethink what you want to have out of the guide and choose the one that bring up to your expectations.

This weekend I went to Skulskogen, this for reconnoiter the trails and cabin for the upcoming winter. The High coast trail goes trough the national park and its in it self a really nice trail. But this time we went to the North portal of the park, and choose the trail to Tärnättvattnets wind shelter. From here we continued to Näskebodarna which is really nice. Now we went to the north with Tärnätts islets,  here it was fantastic nice with a lot of good places for a night in tent and also really good cabins. This one at the mid islet was build with three different room and with a stove. So now I got a good idea of nice winter tours in the area.

(Skuleskogen delivers as usual…)

So far this year it ahs been a lot of nice tours: Ice climbing in January, IML examination in Norway February, Funäsdalen in March, Snasahögarna and Bydalen in April, Voss in May, and Skuleberget Via Feratta in June, and Ljungdalen/vargtjärnsstöten in August, Åre/Vålådalen, Skuleskogen in September a nice adventure year so far…

NSH, Atch & Hobes – Morning Sun (Lyrics) (youtube.com)

Next week it will be about tents….

See ya soon…